before gazing out across the view, her eyes alive with wonder. I try to think of a proper comparison but can only think of those summers at the Observatory with Jesse, when we spent our snack money on the planetarium show instead. Feeling small had never felt so good.
“Maximus… This… It’s so incredible.”
“You like it?” I’m worried again, but this time for a better reason. Maybe she’s just being polite to salvage my ego.
“Like it?” she rebuts. “No. I love it. I mean that. I love it.” She presses her hand to the base of her throat. “I’ve never seen the city like this.”
“From up here?” I pause. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
She sends back a look matching the perplexity of mine. “And you’re surprised. Why?”
For a second, my mouth works on nothing but air. “I just thought that…” I rest an elbow on the wheel. “You grew up here, Kara, same as I did. And you’re completely irresistible. I’m having trouble believing any guy in his right mind didn’t at least try for an end-of-date detour up here with you.”
Through every word of that, I stare straight out the front window. It’s been a long damn time since I was the most experienced person about this sort of subject. The recognition has me weirdly discomfited. But at least I’m not alone. A quick glance over reveals Kara’s newly furrowed frown.
“You sure you’re not confusing me with someone else, Professor? Like someone who’s been on normal dates instead of synchronized productions?”
“Are you confusing me with someone who’s going to believe that?”
“Demon’s truth.” She restacks the dessert boxes in her lap, then places a hand on top of one. “I solemnly swear, on both apple tarts.”
I chuckle. “All right, all right. I believed you before.”
“I know. But tarts make everything better.”
“No.” I lean over. Kara’s face lights up, her eyes bright with invitation, her mouth a lushly bitten rose of welcome. “You make everything better,” I rumble before lowering all the way in to fully claim her.
It’s so damn good.
So tender and soft and delicious.
So much of what I’ve craved the whole night.
The balm for my reeling mind. The completion for my careening soul. But now, best of all, the fire that feeds the force of my desire. As she lets my hungry tongue in all the way into her mouth, those surreal flames in my veins start to jump. Their heat ignites torches through my bloodstream like flares along a river. But I’m not afraid of those fires anymore.
Even with Kara so sultry-eyed and limp-limbed in my hold, the thought beats through my brain. I have to pull back to fully acknowledge it.
Kara’s eyelashes flutter. She wobbles her head as if I’ve snapped her out of a hypnotic trance. “What is it?”
I force myself back by another couple of inches. But it’s impossible not to keep touching her, at least a little. With one hand, I brush back stray strands of lush mahogany from her cheeks. I trace the bold angles of her expressive eyebrows. I spread my fingers along the proud angle of her jaw.
“You’re breathtaking. My perfect little demon.”
She lifts a dreamy smile, so I continue my exploration of her face. I don’t slide south of her chin, even though everything inside me wants to devour every inch of her. Her cinnamon scent fills my next breath. The scent is even better when mixed with the spicy apple delights resting in her lap.
I force myself back, leaving her craning her body toward me for more. I suppress a groan because all I want to give her is more. And I want to take too… I tamp down the ravenous beast in me when I remember this is possibly the first real date she’s ever been on, and I’m not about to be the guy who ruins that for her.
“Come on.” I take the two dessert boxes before getting out of the Mustang. I slide them onto the hood while sprinting to her side of the car. On the way, I shed my jacket and spread it onto the hood. Maybe the damn thing will serve a practical purpose after all.
She pouts as I help her out of the Mustang with both hands. Yet I don’t hear her complaining as she uses the hold to her advantage, leveraging my grip to mold her sweet little curves flush against my frame. Before I can utter a gentlemanly protest, she wraps her gorgeous legs around my waist.
Then her lips are crushed against